The Story of Paige Marie Gates: The Plasma Girl
by Nightwing'sLove
Summary: This is my YJ FanFiction. A Robin/Dick Grayson love story. Note: Dr. Serling roquette is really 32 years old in my story. Plasma Girl is an original character that I created. Some of the characters are mine, others aren't (you should know). Young Justice is a DC Comics series and was an amazing TV show produced by DC Comics, Warner Brothers, and Cartoon Network. I do not own it...
1. Prologue

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Prologue~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star City

August 13. 1832 hrs

"Mom! Mom? We're here!" I call out, walking into the house.

"Paige, Allison? I'm in the lab girls." Mom yells back from the basement. Of course she's in the lab. It seems like she and dad are always in their labs. The downside to having brilliant scientists for parents.

"Come on Alli, let's unpack." My sister's big, blue eyes are looking into mine. Today her eyes have a sweet, sparkling twinkle in them. Probably because we're at mom's house. Alli loves mom. Well I do too, she's my mom, but she and Alli are closer. Now, I'll never have a relationship like that with her. Not because she's a bad mom. It's because she doesn't know. Dad won't let me tell her.

Alli and I go to our bedroom, to our dressers, and we begin unpacking. I'm used to sharing a room with my little sister. We share a room at dad's place too. Mom and dad have been divorced since before Allison was born. Alli starts humming. It's the lullaby I usually sing her before bed.

I, on the other hand, am quiet. Now, I'm thinking about school. What it would be like to go to school; that is. I'm different. Not like other girls, other people. After my accident, I did try to go to school; once. Dad home-schools me now. So often times I dream of being normal, just a plain Jane girl, going to school.

Still, I have the occasional market visit, and there's always gymnastics. My extremely small gymnastics class. Meaning it's just me, one other girl; who doesn't talk to me, and the instructor.

"Emmy?" Oh my goodness! Oh, it's just Alli. She scared the socks off of me.

"Hmm? What?" I ask her. She's standing next to me, holding her bear. I got her that bear, last Christmas.

"Can I go see mommy now?" The rule is we unpack first, then go see mom; if she's in the lab. I glance at her bag on the other side of the room. she is done unpacking. I'm not.

"Yes. _We_ can go see mom now." I leave my bag where it is and grab hold of my little sister's hand.

*Hi, your author here. First, I"d like to say thank you for reading my story. It means a lot to me. Second, if you see a grammer mistake please tell me. I won't be angry. Third, just a little fun fact. Allison calls Paige 'Emmy', because their father calls her by her middle name. When Allison was little she couldn't say Marie, it always came out as Emmy. So the nickname stuck. If you have any questions send them to me as a P.M. or as a Review either works for me.*


	2. Chapter 1

~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 1~~~~~Chocolate Milk Madness~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star City

August 13. 1844 hrs

I squeeze Alli's small hand tighter as we descend down the dark staircase into the basement. Mom's lab. It's dank; she is sitting at her computer with the screen glowing a dim blue. It's the only light in the lab that's on. Her face looks odd staring into the computer. Her fingers click! and clack! on the keyboard as she stares blankly on.

I suppose she's configuring a way to do something genius with her little nanites. They give me the willies. To the left of us is a huge chemistry set. Dad got it for her after I was born. She hadn't gotten a job, at that point. All she wanted was something else to do, besides be a stay-at-home mom. She hated the thought of being a stay-at-home mom. I guess that's why she let dad have custody of me; then Alli. On the right, I know is her set up on her work from the University. Again, her creepy nanites, and various other electronics.

"Mommy!" Alli squeals. She slips out of my tight grip and runs to mom. Mom gets out of her chair and catches her in a great big hug. Mom picks her up and hugs her tighter swinging Alli.

I linger here at the bottom stair. Almost like it's a comfort. I'm just watching them. Letting them have their moment. When they finish, and mom puts Alli down, I'll give her a hug too.

Still holding Alli's hand, mom gives me this awkward one armed hug.

"How's my girls?" Mom asks; letting me go. Alli starts talking mom's ear off as we all go upstairs. Mom holding Alli's hand, and me trudging close behind them.

The duo dart into the kitchen. I stay in the shadows of the dim door frame. Mom picks my little sister up, and sets her firmly on the counter next to the refrigerator. She retrieves the milk and chocolate syrup, and sets them down on the counter space left next to Alli. Mom protrudes forth two; glasses, straws, and spoons from various cabinets and drawers.

I look down at the tile three spaces in front of me, and two to my right. Happens every time they do this. It's always the same flashback.

_Everything was so easy then. Despite the money problems. The apartment was small. It always looked trashed. No matter how many times mom cleaned it. Still, it was home. I grew up there, I loved it there. _

_I'd been in gymnastics for two years, but in a much larger, kiddy class. It was before the divorce, barely even the beginning of the fights. Long before I had my accident. A time when my accident couldn't have happened. There; I was a happy, normal child. Everything was so simple, and, well, basically perfect. I_

_remember that day like it was yesterday. A girl sat on the counter next to a banged up, old refrigerator. She looks just like Alli does, but she's me; with black hair instead of blonde. _

_Mom is at least seven years younger. Her hair is slightly longer and shinier, with a few curls. Her face is smooth and full of care. Dad was at work, trying to get Bruce Wayne and Wayne Industries to fund his research, so it was just me and mom. _

_It was a few days after my fifth birthday party. The only picture I have of mom, dad, and I together. It's the one we took with my cake. With white frosting, green icing edges, yellow words saying: "Happy Birthday Paige Marie!", And my favorite,; the little purple figure with a tight ponytail and a blue leotard, bending to one side. I keep that picture with me where ever I go. _

_Next to me, on the counter, is the milk, syrup, and cups with the spoons and straws in them. Mom finishes pouring the syrup into the glasses of milk. Mom started to stir the syrup. I grabbed the bottle and poured chocolaty goodness on my tongue. Mom scolds me and I give her this big I-can-get-away-with-it grin. _

Now, I look up just in time to see Alli pouring the chocolate syrup into her mouth. As she puts the bottle down she notices I saw her. Then, I see my grin flash across my baby sister's face. The exact same grin I gave my mom all those years ago, is on Alli's lips right now; pointing to me.

"Some things never change." I mutter to myself

"Emmy's in high school now." Alli says, before I 'have the chance to tell on her'.

"When did you finish eighth grade, Paige?" Mom asks me. She doesn't look up at me though. She's still stirring her and Alli's drinks.

"Last weekend." I answer candidly. I had plenty of time.

Mom didn't let us visit for like three weekends. I wouldn't mind except for the fact that Alli was heart broken. By the looks of it now you wouldn't think so; it's like she has completely forgiven mom.

Not me though. She really hurt my little sister, nobody hurts my little sister. It just makes me so- just so, angry.

I see a spark arc out of index finger on my right hand. Seeing as how I'm crossing my arms, It zaps my left arm.

"Ow!" I say, under my breath. It didn't really hurt. Saying 'ow', was more of a, I don't know, reflex thing. Mom's head shoots my way,

"Paige? What was that?" Me angry at you. I think to myself; before answering,

"What? What was what? I didn't see anything." I say acting like I was just lost in thought. Well I kind of was. What's worse though, she'll believe it.

"Oh. Okay then." She smiles softly. See told ya. "My daughters are so smart. I mean with Paige getting into high school so early and everything. I didn't go to high-school until I was fifteen, and your only twelve. I suppose your father was right about you being home-schooled." Yes, he sure was. If I went to regular school I could hurt anybody.

Like I did when I went to Kindergarten all those years ago; "_Freak Electrical Fire Kills Fourteen Kindergarteners_". 'Freak'. That's right. Me.

Mom finally finishes stirring the glasses of chocolate milk and hands one to Alli. Whom, immediately, starts blowing bubbles in it. She places her cup back on the counter and jumps down. She takes her cup and a hold of mom's hand. The two push past me into the living room to watch some kid show.

That's my cue to go back to the room. I'll finish unpacking. Then, I'll probably draw or write in my journal. Maybe if I'm feeling productive I'll finish sowing the rip in my leotard for gymnastics.

First, I walk over to the basement lab door and close it. It makes the same creaky noise dad's does almost a sort of warning, a reminder of what happened. I shake off a shudder and slide the chain lock into place. It's plenty high enough so Alli can't reach. If mom's not in the lab or I'm not around I try to keep it locked.

I can't let the same thing that occurred to me happen to my baby sister. My precious treasure.


	3. Chapter 2

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 2~~~~~Mom's Story~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star City

August 13. 2128 hrs

"Tell me a story?" Alli begs, as mom gets up to leave the room.

"What would I tell you?" Mom asks Alli with a look of bewilderment on her face.

"Tell me an action story with superheroes and bad guys." I giggle. Only my six year old sister would want a bed time story like that.

"Okay, let's see. Well, where should I start?" Mom asks.

"You have to start with once upon a time; and add kid flash." Alli obsesses over superheroes, especially their side kicks and Kid Flash. I, myself, can't blame her though; I sort of had- okay, okay, **have **a crush on Gotham City's very own Boy Wonder. I mean have you seen his pictures in the papers.

Mom chuckles, "Okay." She clears her throat and begins, "Once upon a time, a group of bad guys, known as the shadows, kidnapped a scientist. They told the genius doctor to make a weapon for them. At first she said 'no'. Then they threatened to kill her if she didn't." "So she did. This weapon was nothing more than science, but it was dangerous. It was made of teeny tiny robotic bugs." Alli's face contorted in disgust.

"I hate bugs!" She exclaims.

"These little bot-bugs would, basically, 'eat' through anything. That means concrete, metal, flesh and even bones."

"They sound scary." Alli says quietly, gripping her teddy closer to her.

"However, their purpose was not only to destroy anything in their way, but also to steal information."

I roll over to hear the story better. Sure it's really cheesy. Maybe, because it's a six-year-old's bedtime story. Still, and you can't deny it, the way mom's telling the story. It's like it's true. Like it happened. Like she was there. It's interesting, captivating even. But there's more to it. I know mom isn't telling Alli, probably because she is _way _too little to know. I wonder if I'm old enough. If she will tell me.

"When the 'bugs' would 'eat' computers, and such technology, they would download all the information from the computer into their brains. That way when the bugs got back to the shadows, they would give the bad guys all the information they had collected."

"As soon as the doctor was finished building the weapon, a young hero saved her. One guy; with a bow, attitude problems, and a cheap boat." The tone of her voice changes. It sounds just as it does when someone irritates her. When she talks about other people ,her voice gets the same tone. Bitterness and disgust, as though they aren't as smart as her or they're just slowing her down.

She never gets this tone with me or Allison, but anytime she talks about dad; you can hear it loud and clear. So why is she talking like this now? Alli's brow furrows in confusion, about the boat part, and I stifle a giggle at her expression.

"His name was Red Arrow," Mom went on, "And he rescued the scientist and took her to a high school. A freaking unsafe, unguarded high school. Where he left her alone and unprotected! He didn't come back for her, but the next day a group of teenagers', _teenagers_'!, came to 'protect' her. Kid Flash, Martian girl, Archery something, Superguy, Robin, and Aqualad, I think it was, came to watch the scientist."

My stomach pitted when mom said 'Robin.' I had just been thinking about him before she started the story.

"They argued amongst themselves some. Especially Kid Flash with the blonde girl in green get-up. They were quite annoying. Then an assassin came to kill the scientist. She almost drowned Kid Flash." Alli's face flashes with worry.

"Mommy? Kid Flash can't die, he's the hero. He got saved, Right?"

"Yes honey. I said he almost died. Martian girl saved him though. He was very glad of it."

I imagine a green girl giving him mouth to mouth resuscitation. That just grosses me out.

"Soon after that the team quickly devised a plan to keep the doctor safe while she made a computer virus to stop the bot-bugs. In the end the scientist and the team stopped the 'bugs' and saved the world. "

"And me and Kid Flash got married and lived happily ever after. The end!" Alli finishes. Me and mom laugh at her.

"I'm sure that's how it goes." Mom bends down kissing Alli on the cheek. Then me on the forehead; before turning off the lamp between our beds, and leaving the room.

"Alli." I whisper.

"Yes."

"Say your prayers'." My sister groans, but recites her prayers; out loud. I repeat mine in my head. When she finishes I sing her my lullaby and she falls right to sleep.

Star City

August 14. 0346 hrs

I'm in a purple suit with pink gloves and boots. I'm next to Robin, fighting thuggish guys'. I'm using my secrets; not hiding them. It's an amazing feeling, using them. Adrenaline coursing through me, washing over the shame. Forgetting the 'freak'. Using them for good, to help people.

The fighting is over, I'm on my knees on the ground. Exhaustion taking place of tingling adrenaline. Robin falls on his knees next to me. We're both panting, hard. Now he's leaning in to- to kiss me!

Our lips are only seconds apart and getting closer. My heart's pounding and my mind is full of a flurry of feelings and mixed emotions. My ears are getting hot and I'm sweating more than I was from just the fighting.

"Emmy! Emmy! Emmy!" Ali shakes me; violently. "I had a nightmare!" Alli says to me.

"You can sleep with me, if you want." She jumps under the covers with me. Then I curl my arms around my little sister's body as Alli snuggles closer to my chest.

"I love you Emmy." She sighs sleepily.

"I love you too, Alli." I say, yawning.


	4. Chapter 3

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 3~~~~~The suit~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Star City

August 14. 0600 hrs

I'm up early to practice my gymnastics. It's not like I can go for a jog or to the gym; so, I work out in the living room. Monday through Saturday from six to seven you're sure to find me up; and in the living room.

I've changed into my gymnastics leotard and went on to practice. I clear the floor, making room for my mats. I get them out of the closet and lay them down. Stretching and warming up is refreshing, after being crammed in bed with Alli for a night. She kicks and tosses and turns.

I start working on my hand stand and head stand. Note to self: don't think about heights or falling when doing a head stand. Working on my back spring and front spring is a piece of cake. I've been doing them since I was four. Mom signed me up for gymnastics after I saw a commercial on TV when I was three.

Now, I'm going to try a side aerial. Last week I slipped on the beam and landed on my hip; since then I haven't been able to land my side aerial. Running and, mom! I forget to stop and slip on the edge of the mat, falling face first into the wall.

"Sorry, Paige." Mom tries helping me up as she apologizes.

"It's fine. I was just practicing." I reply, folding my mats up. Wow! It's already six fifty-three.

I go to the bathroom. I get in the shower. The cool water runs over my head. After my workout the water feels nice smooth on my skin. After washing my hair and scrubbing my body I get out. I dry off, and use the blow dryer to dry my hair. I can't leave it wet, dad always tells me it's too dangerous. Once my black, shoulder length hair is completely dry I brush it up into a ponytail.

After breakfast I go to the room and open up my journal. All the pages seem full and well worn, often times I have nothing better to do than leaf through it. I grab my pencil and start on a clean page. I draw the outfit from my dreams.

Flipping to the next page I draw me in the suit. With my hair down and fighting someone. So I color it in. The suit is purple and magenta. My hair Is black, of course it is. It frames my face and brings out the blue in my eyes. Coming from my fingertips, I color in lightning bolts. The scene is quite impressive and I'm just about done when something scares me.

"Whoa! That's so cool!" It was Alli she had been standing behind me for sometime now. I jump and scramble to close my journal. "Do one of me next, please."

After I shoo her away(promise to draw her as a superhero) I close the bedroom door. I'm going to do it. Become a superhero. So I put the costume together and realize I still need the boots and gloves. Should I wear a mask, like Robin does?

About an hour of me being locked in the room, Allie starts beating on the door really hard.

"Mommy says you can't lock the door! Let me in Emmy! Let! Me! In!" I open the door and she almost falls into the room; but I catch her.

"Let me go." She stands up real fast and crosses her arms. "Mommy and me made grilled cheese." She says grumpily. Then stomps back into the kitchen. I know she's angry at me, but it's so cute how she stomped away

Star City

August 14. 0314 hrs

Mom carefully closes mine and Alli's bedroom door.

"Mom?" She puts a finger over her lips and shushes me. I'm quiet. She motions and I follow her into the living room.

"I'm sorry. I just put Allison down for her nap."

"I know."

"So what did you want dear?" She sits on the couch. I sit next to her. Mom grabs the remote and I know she's about to turn on the TV. I grab her hand with the remote in it,

"This is really important mom." She gives me a puzzled look but lowers her hand. Then she sets the remote down and turns towards me.

"What is it? You've never come to me before." I cringe, because it's true.

"You're the only one who can answer this for me. What happened to you? I mean when we couldn't come and visit." She looked strange and uncomfortable.

"Paige you really don't need-"

"Yes mom. I think I do. Please. Please tell me."

"Allison's bed time story last night." Go on. "Really happened. To me." My jaw drops. "But everything _is_ fine now. I'm safe, you and Alli your not in any danger. I promise." I shake my head.

"Can I tell you my secret?" I blurt out. She nods. "I'm different." She doesn't catch what I mean because after a moment of puzzled looks she says,

"Honey just because your home schooled it doesn't make you different. Just smarter. You're already in ninth grade."

"No mom. I'm different because I- I have abilities no one else has."

"What do you mean?" I close my eyes and I think about it. I see the lightning bolt from my fingers. Like in one of dad's 'tests'. I open my eyes and the electricity spurts from my fingers. Mom gasps and jumps off of the couch.

"Please don't be scared. I can control it. For the most part. Me and dad work on it." She comes over and slowly, unsurely sits back down.

"H- how- how did this-"

"Happen?" She nods.

"After you and dad got divorced, and you moved out dad got his grant from Wayne Industries." She shakes her head as though recalling the events. "He moved his lab in the basement like you have yours. He did this so he could do all of his work at home to take care of me. One day he made a major break through, and decided to test it. All of his work is on-

"Electricity." I nod.

"He was trying to refine the use of electricity as a power source, so that one day Gotham City would have better power for less electricity usage. Well he fired his machine thing up and I stumbled into the lab to ask for a glass of juice, because I had just woken up from my nap. I walked in front of the electricity beam, and was knocked unconscious."

Mom begins crying.

"Mom. Mom? Please don't cry." I hug her and pat her hair. _Why is she crying?_

"Oh, my baby! It's all my fault! If I had never left you-"

"Mom. No, don't blame yourself. It wasn't your fault. I don't see this as a bad thing anymore. I'm glad it happened." She did stop crying,

"Wh- how- why- how can you?" She stutters.

"Because of your story." She gives me another confused look. "All of those kids, the super heroes, they all have this thing that makes them different. But they don't hide. They don't feel lost or confused. They don't sit around feeling sorry for themselves. They go out there and help people. That's what I want to do. That's what I'm going to do."


	5. Chapter 4

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 4~~~~~First Patrol~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham City

August 16. 24:53

It's weird how my dad gets me almost anything I ask for. I think it's just built up guilt. I convinced him to get me the boots and gloves that I wanted. He didn't even ask why I wanted them he just bought them for me. And while I'm happily dressed in my suit, even with my own little symbol on it, I get this odd feeling. A deep worry in the pit of my stomach. This sensation that I'm going to get caught.

I open the window and slip outside. The cold night air hits me and sends a million goose bumps all over my body. I keep walking; not thinking about fighting anymore, but about rambling nonsense and my costume. I turn a corner and find myself facing an alleyway instead of a street.

That's when I hear it.

"Somebody help ME!" A woman screams. Panic sets in and I freeze. I'm not ready for this. A guy has her pinned up against the wall. With a knife to her throat.

"Be quiet or I swear I'll-"

"You'll what?" I ask, cutting him off. He turns towards me and scoffs,

"Pff. Go home kid." He laughs at me. This made me mad.

"No! Put. The Knife. Down." I yell at him.

"Oh, I'll put the knife down. If you make me."

"What kind of comeback is that?" I ask. He turns the knife on me and the woman quickly runs away. I got this real bad feeling. I definitely _don't_ like that knife being pointed at me. The man comes closer and I draw in too. He plunges the knife at me. I dodge his blow. He tries again but I do a back-spring and he misses once more.

"First, you interrupt me. Then, you challenge me. Kid, your starting to piss me off!" He lunges and I dodge again. This time I punch him in the face. I recoil quickly in both shock and pain. I have never punched someone before, but I didn't expect it to hurt like that. He holds his nose, crying out in pain.

Excitement, adrenaline, fear all pulse through my body. He stumbles forward. I'm done messing around, and while I'm so nervous about doing this. I think I can manage it. I've tried it before, but only a few times.

I hold out my hands and shoot. The voltage isn't high enough to do any real damage. Basically it should just stun the guy like a taser. He falls down and I go over to check his pulse. It's steady, slower than mine; a little. It worked! I can't believe that it actually worked!

I turn from the scene and begin walking off. I go down this street. I turn and go that way. I'm sure I'm close to home. I have to be.

Okay, maybe I'm not so close. Oh! It's hopeless. I don't have even the slightest idea of how to get around on the streets in Gotham. Maybe, I'll never make it home. No! That's a bad, bad thought. What if I go this way. This street looks familiar. Wait? Is that a, statue? Great I'm completely lost!

Okay, _if_ , and I got to stress the if, I do this again, I have to remember to get a map or something. What time is it? And a watch. Tonight isn't so bad. I mean I did help that girl earlier. I don't know, I think I should have like locked that guy up or something. Like Batman and Robin arrest people, right?

Somebody whistles, they're in front of me. It's a guy standing underneath the street light.

"Hey there, cutie." He threw some keys up in the air and caught them. This guy, can't be good news. "It's a little past your bedtime isn't it?" Puh-lease tell me this guy isn't for real.

"I just want to get home, so if you could help me?" I say sarcastically. He throws his keys and catches them again. That is so annoying and sort of creepy too.

"Sure thing." Dude, take note of the sarcasm. He pulls his other hand out of his jacket pocket. He's holding something. A small white cloth. That really can't be good. He places one hand on my shoulder.

I punch him, in the stomach. I kick him, where it counts. He's down. I reach down and touch his shoulder, and shock him. The same way I did that other guy with the knife. I fumble around in his jacket pockets, and find a bottle.

"Chloroform, huh? Looks like I was right about you. Bad news." Glad I trusted my instincts. Now, to find my way back home. I think it's been a productive night. Quite frankly, I am so tired.

Do your ever get that feeling like someone's watching you? Because I am, right now. I turn around. Searching the alleyways, the street, the windows, my search finds nothing. I turn back around and cautiously keep walking forward.

I search the street in front f me. I don't see anyone, but I can't shake this feeling. Look it's my gymnastics studio. I definitely know where I am now. I can find my way back home from here. So yes, a good night indeed.


	6. Chapter 5

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 5~~~~~Chances~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham City

August 17. 2254 hrs

The house is quiet. Alli is sleeping soundly in her bed. She only inches from me. Even dad put up his experiments early. He should be sound asleep in his bed too. So Alli is asleep, and Dad is asleep. Here I am… by the window, again; to sneak out. I can't sleep. How can I? Even just blinking plays the horrible scene in my mind.

_On the way home from gymnastics, I was looking out the window. I like to look for different things when we drive through Gotham. We passed an alley. I saw something, something terrible and awful. That I won't let happen again, at least not if I can help it. Three men, huge, thuggish guys were beating one man on the ground. In the last second I watched as the car passed by. One guy pulled out a gun, and pulled the trigger. Twice._

Tonight is different though. Last night, I patrolled. Watched to try and stop trouble; if it's found. Now, I'm looking for the trouble to stop. Just so that I don't get lost again, I have a map of Gotham City in my boot. I can't be stopped.

I draw back the curtain and bright moonlight falls across Alli's face. The curtain drops and I watch her. She rolls on her other side, facing away from the window. She lets out a big yawn, smacks her lips, and hugs her teddy closer to her.

_What if something goes wrong?_ Last night I had a knife pointed at me and a man was going to kidnap me? I'm looking for three guys. One, for sure, who has a gun. What if they all have guns? What if I don't come back to see my little sister?

I hadn't thought about that. Maybe for a reason. It's a good excuse to stay home, but I'm sick of being locked in this house and of cursing my powers. So if that's the risk, I'll just have to take the chance.

I go over to Alli still asleep in bed. I tuck the blankets around her. It seems as though her face is glowing softly, and she looks like an angel. I kiss her forehead and go back to the window. I think: _I love you Alli, I'll be right back. Wait here and I'll be back. _With one last glance at the clock I leave. Its only ten fifty-seven. I have the whole night ahead of me.

Gotham City

August 17. 23:48

"So am I on Seventh South Street or North Fifth Avenue?" I ask nobody and give the map another turn. This is stupid. I'm so lost I can't even tell how to hold the map. Okay, calm down, look for the- There it is. The compass rose. Okay so South is pointing up. I'm pretty sure that's wrong. There North. I'm on, South Seventh. I should go; ahh ha! Right. I take a few steps, then I stop.

I feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and my spine tingles. I feel like someone's watching me. I turn to my left and look down an extremely dark alley. An eerie sensation creeps over the silent street. An ambulance sounds way far off.

A can clatters in the alley. Gotchya! I run over to the entrance of the dead end trash alley. Once I get closer though my eyes adjust to the dark of the street way. There's no one there. Meow! Oh my gosh! Oh, it was just a cat. Wow! When did I get so paranoid?

I walk three or four more blocks searching all of the alley's. That's were thugs seem to lurk. I know-KNOW that I'm being watched. Followed. The feeling is too intense to not be real. It's feels like a hole being drilled into my back. An intense heating pressure.

"Who's there?" I ask the empty street behind me. I now feel dumber than ever, because, guess what? No one answered. Duh!

It doesn't exactly feel like someone is following me. No footsteps walking behind me. Still, I know that they're there. The feeling doesn't subside, so I decide to ignore it. I walk another few blocks and hear somebody laughing. I run to see three guys beating up another man. It was the same three guys from earlier today.

I don't feel like talking to them, letting them know that I'm going to fight them. I won't chance that they will pull a gun out on me. So I do a jumping handstand and flip backwards with just enough force to knock the first guy on the ground.

I stand up and the second guy comes at me while the third continues beating the man on the ground. I dodge the second man's punch by ducking to the ground. Then I think about something I'd seen in a movie once. I swing my right leg out and catch his feet. He falls face first on the ground and breaks his nose.

I reach down and shoot a charge through him, he should be unconscious now. The first guy gets up and the third steps away from the man. Two, at once. Okay, I'm up for a challenge. The First guy goes to punch me I barely catch his hand. In that split second I let another charge out and he fell unconscious as well.

The third guy looks at me in disbelief. Then, he does the one thing I was afraid he would do. He reached behind his back and drew out a gun. In a panic I sent out a volt that went past his head. He dropped the gun trying to dodge my shot. I did a front flip and landed in front of him I put my hand on his chest. He fell unconscious next to his buddies.

The guy they were beating up groans. I go over to him and kneel next to him.

"Are you okay?" I ask. He moves and grabs his side crying out in pain. "Stay still. I think they might have broken something. This might hurt but I need to check your rib, okay." He nods. I lightly touch my hands over his ribs moving them up and down. He cringes in pain a few times and holds back hurt noises.

"I don't think anything's broke. I might be wrong. I'm not sure how long they will be out, so we need to move. You need to get to a hospital. Do you think you can walk, if I help you?"

"Yes." He says weakly. I help him stand and despite his crying out. We start towards the hospital. "Who are you?" He asks out of breath.

"Plasma Girl."

"Thank you. Can I ask how you did that? Make them all just fall down?"

"Strong electrical current." He looks puzzled, "Basically I shocked them enough to knock them unconscious. It's not fatal, but they'll wake up with achy muscles and a headache." When we get there he walks inside alone. I saved him. I stopped those guys from hurting that man. That's what I wanted to do.


	7. Chapter 6

~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 6~~~~~Stormy News~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham City

August 18. 1208 hrs

I open the newspaper and leaf through it. Sometimes it's nice to read the paper. To catch up on all of the news in Gotham. On the front page there's a huge headline about a Bruce Wayne Charity ball party. Something about a fundraiser for the local orphanage. In honor or memory of something for his ward Dick Grayson.

I didn't really read it thoroughly. I flip the page to the smaller columns. There's a few articles on arrests that Batman's made this week. That's weird. No signs of Robin with him all week. I read the articles. You know it's funny how familiar these arrests made by batman sound like the guys I've taken down this week. I keep searching through the pages when I cross this headline:

"**Man Rescued by New Vigilante."**

"**David Huges was checked into Gotham General Hospital last night. He was brutally beaten, and has the wounds to prove it. A dislocated shoulder, a broken nose, two black eyes, and a cracked rib. The men who attacked Mr. Huges were found in Gotham City Jail, with bat-cuffs on them. **

**I questioned Huges about being saved by Gotham's Hero and his answer was quite astonishing. **

"**It was a girl who saved me. She was very young. She wore a pink and purple suit, and told me her name was Plasma Girl. She fought the guys who beat me. Then she brought me here, to the hospital. Whoever she was, she saved my life." I quote from Huges. **

**Plasma Girl? Is she the heroine of Gotham City? Is she just a sidekick? Who and whatever she is, Huges owes his life to her. More to come on this Plasma Girl; if she makes another move. You'll hear-read- it first, from Vickie Vale at the Gotham Globe."**

I grab the scissors from the knife block and run to my room. I hit the door and struggle to push it open quickly. Once it's, open I rush to my desk and pull out my journal. I open it to the first clean page. Cut out the column and paste. Wow! My first hero recognition! This is so exciting!

"Marie? Can you come down here?" Dad yells from the basement. Of course, ruining my moment. I walk past the kitchen and to the basement door. Standing on my tippie-toes, I feel for the key on the frame. When I touch it I grab it and unlock the door.

The lights are on, and dad's basement is so much different from mom's. Her lab is dark, dingy, and small. Dad's lab is quite large. The stairs divide the room in half. To the left is all of his experiments and research. The right, is just open space.

The floor, ceiling and walls all have rubber padding ."A non-conductible material so we don't cause another neighborhood blackout Marie." As dad always says, cupping my chin. Under the stairs is a small computer desk, with a portable laptop. This way he can move the computer, and it doesn't get fried.

This, this room, is where he does his 'tests'. To figure the limits of my powers. How they work, and what they do. This room is where I've stayed any time he or Allison gets sick. This room, I despise this room. This was the room in our old house where I was struck by dad's machine.

Although he'd never tell me, I know I'm his greatest 'discovery'. Invention, at that. Every time he does one of these 'tests' he files a report of it. He hides the reports in two places. One is on his laptop, in a file that has been fire walled by professional hackers. The second is in a safe behind his nightstand.

A safe that has a ten number sequenced electric combination lock. I have hacked and cracked both of these. It wasn't easy, yet it wasn't hard. Somehow, with electronics its different. If I try and I push myself, I can sort of connect with them. I've only done it three or four times, each time I've gotten a bloody nose.

"Are you ready?" Dad asks, clapping his hands together. I nod, but say:

"Dad, I really don't want to." He shakes his head. "What does that mean?" He's quiet and moves the small computer desk to the wall in front of me. He's already taken the computer out into the hallway.

"I want you to use your, what did you call it? With the vision?"

"My E.M.P. vision?" He nods. Then stands behind me, with a clipboard. I'm sure his report is attached to it. I focus on the desk and everything else in the room goes grayscale. The desk however has a blue pulse around it. Waves emanate from the top of it at a constant pace.

"It's an electromagnetic pulse." He scribbles something down.

"Remarkable!" I sigh.

"Dad? You've already run this test before." He nods. "I want to go." Silence and scribbles. Suddenly I don't feel good. My head aches, and I feel nauseas. "Dad! I want to go." He stops and looks me in the eye. After a second he nods.

I run upstairs. I run into my room, slam my door, and lay on my bed. There must be a storm coming. I can always sense them, since the accident. I remember dad's report on it.

**I've seen Marie cry more today than I think I ever have. I think it may be related to the weather. She has always been afraid of thunderstorms, it's been worse since the accident. Since that day she's been able to- detect a storm before it arrives. She gets very emotional and wants to stay in her room. I've never denied her this comfort she takes in that spot. **

**I believe, also, that the lightning affects her on a physical level. The positive and negative electrical charges of a thunderstorm or a lightning strike are very intense. Her blood is electrically charged. This may very well be connected to her fear of the storms. I would love to conduct more research on the topic, but on days such as this she is very touchy. Often times she will not even allow me to do a test or conduct and experiment if a storm is within twenty or so miles of us.**

I cry and cry into my pillow. I have to stop, and get up. I find my trash can next to my desk; just in time to. I move it next to my bed. Then I curl up under the covers. Ready for the blow of the storm to hit. There's no way I'm going on patrol tonight.

I'm just tired of being a lab rat to him. It's not who I am anymore. I help people with my abilities, not allow myself to be poked and prodded for having them. Dad doesn't get it, and that pains me. It's one of the reasons why I can't tell him. Lightning strikes, thunder rumbles, my body begins to hurt. I cry more and more. I don't want to cry though, to feel bad for myself. Still, I can't stop. The rain begins and hits against the window.

I burnt down the house once. The old house. It was cold and rainy, thundering and lightning, as it had been for a few days. I was tired, cranky, crying, sore. I just wanted the storm to be over. I was angry that is wasn't.

Then there was a white surge of pure light. All I felt after that was an immense heat. Then black, everything went black. I woke up a few days later in the hospital. Allison was okay, and so was dad. I had let out a charge so strong that I blacked out and set fire to the house. I suffered from smoke inhalation.

Now I cover my head as the lightning strikes again and again. Each time with a loud rumble of thunder and body pains following. I knew a storm was on it's way.


	8. Chapter 7

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 7~~~~~Puddles~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham City

August 19. 2458 hrs

I hope it doesn't rain. I know it rained all afternoon yesterday. Finally stopped at ten. So, I actually got to sleep. There has been clouds threatening to storm since then. Still, I needed to patrol tonight. To get out of the house. I like looking at Gotham, seeing places I never have. There are puddles everywhere, and I'm just getting good at avoiding them. I think my foot is dry now.

What's that? A couple? Pushing a stroller. I need to hide. I jump into the alley right next to me. Isn't it a little late for a family stroll? I catch part of their conversation as they pass me.

"I can't believe we had to walk seven blocks just to get her to sleep!" The man says. The woman sighs.

"Yes. I just hope she will stay asleep when we get home." He chuckles at her. There goes a nice normal family. I wonder if that's what mom and dad where like. They walk far enough ahead not to see me, so I come out of hiding.

"Put your hands up. Put 'em up!" I hear. I turn around to see a girl holding a gun up to the family. She looks young, maybe seventeen or eighteen. The baby starts crying, and the man speaks.

"Please, if-"

"Shut up!" I start running towards them. I shoot a bolt; it flies just past her head. She points the gun at me as I stop in front of her.

"Move!" She yells at me, but I stay still. She thrusts it forward some.

"I won't let you hurt these people." She goes to pull the trigger. I kick my leg up, just hoping by some chance that it will at least keep the bullet from hitting anyone. I'm not sure that it worked until I hear her cry out some in pain. The gun flings to the wall and the girl staggers back holding her hand.

"Get out of here." I say to the man and woman. The baby is screaming from the gunshot. It was loud, like really loud. I turn back to the girl. She has the gun again. I take a step back and shoot a non lethal bolt at her arm.

There's two problems with that. One, I missed her. Two, I stepped in a puddle. I felt a million tiny things, crawling all over my body. They tingled and ached and didn't stop for a long time. I watched the girl run away. Then everything, even the street lights, grew fuzzy and then black.

Gotham City

August 20. 0147 hrs

"She's waking up." Huh? Who's that? I open my eyes. All I see is light. Bright white light. I close them again. My whole body hurts all over.

I think back to what happened, at first it's fuzzy. The more I think about it the more I remember. I was fighting the girl, I shot at her. I missed but I was standing in a puddle. I shocked myself. And I couldn't stop either. Not until I was unconscious. That's when it stopped. I open my eyes again.

Fluttering my eyes open and shut they adjust better to the bright light shining down on me. I see a blurry figure move above me. I try to move, to wiggle away, but I can't. I whimper. Then a boy leans over me.

The light is shining behind him, but his face. His skin looks so soft, I want to reach up and caress his cheek. A few tufts of his midnight black hair fall across his forehead. His smile though, my heart melts. And his eyes, are covered by something. A mask; I think.

"Are you okay?" He asks me.

"I-I'm-I." I clear my throat. "I'm Fine." I say more firmly.

"Can you move?" I try sitting up, and every muscle in my body screams in pain. I fight it. Then, slowly, I manage to sit up some. In an awkward position with my back on his leg, and his arm around me.

"What happened to the girl?" I ask. He looks confused. "With the gun. She was going to rob that family. Oh, no! Are they-"

"They're fine. As for the girl. I'm sorry, I think she got away." Someone steps next to me. Scared, I jump. Then look up to see- I gasp.

"What's- whoa!" I stand up. I stand up so fast I catch myself and the boy off guard. Pain shoots through me and I'm falling. But the boy, he stood up too, and he catches me.

"Easy there." He says.

"B- Ba-Batman?" I say, my mouth feeling dry. "Robin? Batman. And Robin." As my legs start to feel like jell-o, I want to sink to my knees. I can't though, because **Robin** is still holding me up.

"Uhm, Batman, I think she's in shock." I pull out of his arms; his strong arms.

"Batman. Robin. Batman. Robin." I said pointing back and forth between them. "What? Shock, no not from- Batman. Robin. You. You're Batman and Robin." Robin shakes his head yes. "I knew it! I'm dead!" Robin laughs at me. It's a sweet sound. Batman. Robin.

For a few moments I stood there thinking things through. Using my fingers to keep track of everything, and saying most stuff in my head. Batman and Robin just stood there looking confused. They give me weird looks and exchange glances with each other. After a few minutes of doing this, everything was settled.

"So, what exactly are your powers?" Batman asks me.

"Uhm, well, I-uhm. I can control electrical currents?" I ask; unsure if that's the answer he was looking for

"Can you produce electricity to, or just manipulate it?"

"Oh, uhm I think I produce it."

"Cool." Robin says. I look at him.

"Anything else?" Batman asks. I try to concentrate on what else my powers entail.

"Uhm, electromagnetic pulse? Detection, production and manipulation." I say shakily.

I feel like I'm being interrogated for some reason. He gives me a nod, telling me to carry on. So I think about all of dads reports. The ones I stole, and read.

"I heal fast: like bruises, cuts, even broken bones." His eyes squint behind his cowl. "My dad says it's because the plasma in my blood stream is electrified."

"Do they know that your fighting crime?"

"My mom does. But please, don't tell my dad." I beg. He doesn't move or ask anymore questions. I feel his eyes on me though. So, uncomfortably, I stand still. Feeling like he's sizing me up.

**I'd like to say a few things. One, I'm sorry for not updating recently. Two, yes there is another paragraph at the end of this chapter. So please, read it. I realized just now that it didn't get transfered to this site like it should have. But it's here now. Three, I'd like to give a special shout out to the guest that has given me such great reveiws and reminded me to work on my story!**


	9. Chapter 8

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Chapter 8~~~~~Let's Go~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gotham City

August 20. 0156 hrs

_ What now? Will Batman tell my dad? Dad would kill me. Do we just go our separate ways? What if he tells me not to patrol again? _I think to myself.

I let my gaze drift from Batman's stone-cold stare. They land on Robin's mask. I can't tell what he's looking at. Me or Batman, maybe, or even the street lamp. His features are soft, yet much like Batman's. His mouth isn't the same thin line. His lips spread in the smallest of smiles.

_ He isn't much taller than me, I'm sure. Even though he's standing about a yard away. He can't be much older than me either. Is that a good thing? Would Batman ask me to stop patrolling even though Robin seems my age? Or should someone my age have a mentor? I don't think anybody else has a power like mine. Who would be my mentor then?_

I let my thoughts fade out as I snap back to the present. That's when I find myself staring at a blushing red Robin. While I was thinking, I had stared at the handsome Boy Wonder; the whole time. Obviously, he had noticed by now. My eyes break away from his face.

Now, I'm the one blushing. I keep my head down and let my eyes wander around. Looking at my feet, then a small puddle. Watching anything, except Batman or Robin. A few moments later I felt sick and really dizzy again. I even lost my balance a little. I think they both noticed it. Considering they both jumped, just the tiniest bit, as if they were going to catch me.

Then, after what seemed like a life time, Batman spoke. Breaking the silence he simply asked me a question. Do you need an escort home? Or do you feel well enough to walk by yourself? Taken back by his offer I didn't know how to respond. My throat felt dry and my head pounded.

I felt woozy again. This time, it wasn't because of my 'accident'. I don't really want to tell them I'm not feeling great, but I forgot how to get home. My map, is probably as soaked as my clothes and hair are. They probably have GPS or _something _that can get me home.

After a few moments of silence from me, Batman gave a little nod in Robin's direction. He nodded back. Then, the boy strode towards me; his steps barely making a sound. I looked back over at Batman, only to find he had already disappeared.

"Hey!" Robin says, beaming.

"Hi." I smile, shyly, and stick a stray strand of stringy, wet hair behind my ear. We begin walking.

"So, have you ever been on a motorcycle?" I shake my head. His smile spreads into a mischievous grin. "Do you want to?" He asks.

"Are you even old enough to drive?"

"Legally? No. But, who cares." Smirking at me, he shrugs, and we continue walking.

After we walk a few blocks, talking mostly about fighting, he starts down an alley. I follow him. That's when I see his bike. The R Bike. It's red and black, and unlike any other bike I've ever seen. Still, it looks like it can sit two people. Robin hands me the helmet. I put it on over my hair. Then, I watch him get on his bike.

Hesitant and shakily, I take a deep gulp of air and let it out. He motions me closer to him and the vehicle. Clumsily, I climb on the back and wrap my arms around the boy. Who starts the bike. Robin revs it then calls to me over the loud noise.

"Hold on tight."

I pulled myself tighter around and closer to him. Then, I hear him laugh a little. That's when I realize I shouldn't have gotten on. We should have just walked back to my house. It would have been quieter anyway.

He jumps the gun a little, after he kicks up the kickstand. The bike does a little wheelie, lands back on its tires and we take off. Wet strands of hair whip around behind me. The helmet lessens the roar of wind in my ear, yet it doesn't completely stifle it.

Different colorful buildings; some with lights on, most with the lights off. I get to see Gotham City in a way I never had before. It makes me burst with giggles. Robin hears then goes a little faster. Even though I know we're exceeding the speed limit, I really don't care.

I stare up at the dark, night sky. The moon pokes out from behind gray clouds. Taking everything in, I sigh. This is something I'd never done before. Something I never, ever thought I'd do. Yet, here I am. On the back of a motorcycle, with a strange boy I just met, who's taking me home, at nearly two o' clock in the morning. Dad would definitely kill me if he saw me now.

"So, why Plasma Girl?" Robin asks me, yelling over the wind.

"Well, my powers, and, I guess, my initials." I yell back.

"What's that?"

"P.G." I answer. "Why Robin?"

"It's a nick name my dad gave me once."

"Oh." I said not knowing how to carry the conversation on. My social skills just aren't that advanced.

A few minutes later we come to a stop, about a block from my house. Then robin pulls over and stops the bike. He kicks down the kickstand and gets off. Offering me his hand, he helps me get off. I hand him his helmet back and he places it on the handles of the bike.

"Well, this is you I believe." He says, gesturing down the road. "I stopped here so that the noise of the bike wouldn't-"

"wake up my family?" I say, asking if that how he was going to finish his sentence. He gives a little nod. "Thanks." We stand there looking at each other, awkwardly.

"Oh, I uh… I just wanted to let you know that uh… you should try to be more careful. When you're going back home. I mean. So that villains can't follow you back."

I had thought about that before. When it felt like some one was watching me. I had thought about not letting them follow me home.

"Thanks for the tip." I say smiling. He looks at me then at his bike.

"Well, I guess I best be going."

"Bye."

I turn and start walking home. From behind me I hear the R-Bike start back up. Then, the sound of Robin revving the engine fades in the distance. Then, I make it back to my window and, somehow, into my bed. Exhausted and sore, I fall asleep.


End file.
